


What Happens in the Woods Stays in the Woods

by MimikoFlamemaker



Series: Witcher School Related Works [3]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Kaer Tiele, LARP, LARPing, Witcher School, Witcher School LARP
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:21:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27616159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MimikoFlamemaker/pseuds/MimikoFlamemaker
Summary: I took part in International Witcher School this October - it was beyond awesome. And I have new character to gush about - Myra, who is certainly too good of a person to be a witcher. I can't wait to see it bite her in the future episodes.But since good people doesn't really live very long in the Witcher Universe, she is about to make a whole lot of difficult choices - here is a snippet about one of them.
Series: Witcher School Related Works [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1574812





	What Happens in the Woods Stays in the Woods

The rumble of thunder echoed through her bones. The rain was not quite here yet, but the sky was covered with thick layer of dark, grey clouds. It was only a matter of time.

Myra huffed as the training dummy finally fell over. Signs were never that difficult to her and yet it took her three tries to send the aard where it was supposed to go. She was distracted, quite honestly, from the very beginning of the lesson. And she was angry with herself. This was not the attitude she wanted to present to anyone, least of all her fellow adepts.

And yet she couldn’t quite help it. At least she noticed master Yila coming towards her.

There. It was her cue.

‘Can you do something that would disqualify you from the rest of the class?’ master Yila asked only loud enough for her to hear. Myra nodded – she wasn’t even winded, much less exhausted enough to be excused. But she knew what to do.

Not that she would particularly enjoy the outcome.

She pulled at the energy. Just a tiny bit. Just enough to feel it stir. But instead of reaching outside as she was told a hundred times to do, she reached inside. And then she formed another aard – careless. Sloppy.

The power sputtered at her fingertips and the backlash filled her lungs with a burning ache.

She fell to her knees coughing and dearly hoping she didn’t rupture anything.

‘What did she do?’ master Dirk’s voice carried over.

‘I was trying to correct her stance’ was master Yila reply. ‘I didn’t think she would cast. And I don’t think she’ll be any good to you today, Dirk.’

‘Whatever’ the other master shrugged. ‘Next!’

Myra sat on her folded knees and tried to focus on her breathing, while keeping an eye on what the others are doing. One by one they stepped forward to cast the aard and, one by one, the others bent over faking exhaustion. Volker, Rolf, Lisa, who quite convincingly fell backward, even Ute.

Well that one was a bit of a surprise.

Not as much as what was unfolding a little further away though.

Lila was the last one to cast her aard and her first attempt was clearly unsuccessful. Master Dirk though, seemed a little confused.

‘Again’ he commanded, watching the girl carefully.

Lila did as she was asked and once again, nothing happened. The dummy stood still, there was no shivering of the leaves nor the rocks rolling to the sides. The most surprising however was the fact that her medallion did not tremble. It should have. It did when the others casted their signs.

‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m trying master’ Lila piped up as she fidgeted in place obviously distraught. ‘I really am!’

‘Do you?’ master Dirk challenged. ‘Most adepts, even those I can’t account amongst the brightest are usually catching the right way to do it much faster…’

‘I can do it! I really can!’

‘We’ll see about that… Maybe you need a better target?’ the witcher mused and stepped away, stopping several paces away, his back to the training dummy. ‘One last chance. Try to hit me this time.’

A surprised murmur that passed over their small group told her that she wasn’t the only one waiting to see what happened.

Nothing. Once again Myra’s medallion remained flat against her chest.

For a moment, she thought that Lila might burst into tears.

‘You don’t feel it’ master Dirk didn’t even bother to make it a question. ‘Not at all. That’s why you can’t cast. You don’t have the connection… it’s been a while since I’ve seen that.’

Myra spent the last three years of her life at the school and she had never heard of that before. Even those of her fellow adepts who found it hard to perform the signs at first got the hang of it sooner or later.

‘I don’t know what you did to them today Dirk’ master Yila remarked, pulling her thoughts back to the present. ‘But we can’t have them useless like that tonight. I have a spot where I go to meditate. I’ll take them there, maybe they will get themselves back together.’

Myra sprang to her feet, probably too fast for someone who just tried to explode their own lungs.

At least the waiting was almost done.

Master Yila led them away from the group and into the forest just as another thunder rolled over the castle ground. Closer this time.

‘Did you come up with an idea?’ master Yila asked as soon as they could no longer be overheard.

‘I suppose we settled for what we agreed on yesterday’ Myra replied when the silence stretched for a bit too long. ‘That I will lure him into the trap.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘I mean, we are aware of his certain… proclivities. And I had the misfortune of watching his interrogation of princess Liva. The man is so full of himself that he should fall to the praise and admiration.’

It wasn’t exactly the answer to that question, but Myra didn’t think they could come up with anything better in such a short span of time, when they have spent the last evening pondering it over and it was everything they ended up with.

Whether she wanted to do it or not was another matter altogether.

It was the result that mattered in the end.

‘Then you will have to be careful. You’ll be the last one he will be seen with, so if anything goes south, you’ll be the first to blame.’

‘I know. It still needs to be done.’

‘I’m sure it will be fine’ Lisa piped up.

‘Then come faster. If it starts to rain, we might not be able to get him and the elves cannot stay in the area for much longer.’

They followed master Yila, picking their way through the undergrowth. The wind picked up and there was another thunder, very close this time. Soon enough, they could feel the first droplets off rain, filtering through the canopies and landing on their faces.

They crossed the main road running through the forest and sank into the bushes on the other side, finally coming to the small clearing. For a moment it seemed empty, but then Myra could pick up the heartbeats of the hiding elves. Master Yila looked around and whistled. One by one, elves left their hide outs, gliding over the fallen leaves almost without the sound.

‘Ceádmil, Aen Sidhe’ master Yila greeted, and Myra found herself echoing the words. They felt rusty on her tongue. It has been a while since she had a chance to use the elder speech and even then, the art did not come easy to her.

The thought almost made her smile. When she first started to practice, her mouth outright refused to form some of the words, giving her friends plenty of opportunity to make fun of her. And they did as all children are. But they were also endlessly patient with her… Laith, Caellem, Nyla… and several others, but she always felt the deepest connection with those three.

Her eyes slid over the elves that stood before them. Gaunt, scarred faces, clothes hanging limply on once much broader frames and hollow eyes, that remained empty regardless of the violence they witnessed or performed. Myra couldn’t possibly fathom the greatness of their loss, but she understood the pain of it. And she pitied them.

Would her friends share the same fate should they live? The same indignity, violence, hate?

They probably would. It was what killed them after all, not long before they would likely be forced to turn from children to warriors.

She still saw it sometimes, vivid in her dreams, despite the Trials and the time that passed. The tree, an old oak, standing in the middle of the elven settlement. And the mutilated, broken bodies, hanging upon the branches, swaying in the breeze. Men, women, children. And among them Laith, Caellem and Nyla…

Her own neighbors did it. People she grew up with. People she worked with. People she trusted.

All because one man wanted to hide his crimes.

Whenever she remembered that, she wasn’t really surprised that to those who remained, the only good humans were the dead ones.

Her initial anger also called for retribution. But she knew she didn’t have the means. The witcher she found has killed the wraiths, and then laughed as her useless wrath, before demanding payment. But there was nobody to pay him. And she couldn’t stay in the village, where everyone acted as if nothing had happened. Or worse seemed proud of their deeds.

Her choice to offer herself up as a payment wasn’t that difficult to her afterwards.

‘Myra?’ Volker asked.

She realized that everyone was looking at her. Was she supposed to say something? Was there anything to say, really?

‘You don’t have to do it’ the oldest elf said, surprising her. ‘He is an evil man and needs to die, but we won’t force you to do something like this…’

‘But I want to’ she objected. ‘I agree with you and I want to help you. It won’t be the last asshole I will have to deal with.’

Master Ylia sighed and turned to face her.

‘Go then. Find him and bring him here. Try not to use the main paths and attract as little attention as possible.’

Myra nodded, glanced one more time to the group gathered on the clearing and turned to leave, picking her way through the low bushes to the path running nearby.

The rain was getting heavier. And as she made her way back to the castle, she felt the full weight of what she was about to do settling about her shoulder.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to do this. Well, she didn’t really, as lieutenant Emmeric did enough to warrant only her disgust. But she had no doubt that the world will be a slightly better place when he leaves it.

There were people counting on her right now. And she really didn’t want to disappoint them. Not again, not ever.

Not to mention that she didn’t want to disappoint herself.

Yet, she wasn’t sure if she was cut out for the task. She didn’t think herself a particularly apt actress and her only real experience with seduction was the half-drunk jabs exchanged with her fellow adepts. Things like that usually happened without much of the input from her.

Well, that might have been one of the reasons why they didn’t happen all that often.

Myra smiled to herself, amused by her own train of thoughts. It removed some of the apprehension she felt. And, regardless of everything, there was no backing out now. She had to do it.

If anything went wrong, she only needed him out of sight of the potential witnesses. She doubted that even a big man like him was a match for her. Especially if she acts fast enough.

The witcheress looked up and she could see the castle ahead, visible between the thinning trees. What worried her, was that she couldn’t really hear anything except for the rain and the rustling of leaves.

Soon enough, she could clearly see that the castle grounds were deserted – the storm herded everyone inside… well, almost everyone. The bright blue of lieutenant Emmeric uniform instantly caught her eye amongst the muted greens and dreary greys of the autumn afternoon.

He was sitting propped against the tree, as if waiting for the worst of the rain to let up, before heading into the castle.

She knew she couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. Myra took a fortifying breath and went straight for him, putting some extra swish into her steps.

She could feel his eyes on her almost instantly. Not a surprise since she was clearly the only other person around. The way he watched her, not even trying to hide his interest added a much needed boost to her confidence. Myra pinched her bottom lip with her teeth before she smiled at the man.

The way his heartbeat picked up only made that smile grow wider.

‘Lieutenant Emmeric’ she said as she stopped beside him. ‘The tales about your exploits precede you.’

‘Clearly’ one corner of his mouth curled upward, before he pushed himself from the ground. ‘I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure yet…’

‘No, we didn’t. I did however, have the pleasure to observe you at work earlier this morning.’

‘Oh, did you now? I hadn’t seen you there…’

He was almost a head taller than her. She supposed, it made appearing coy easier as she was already looking up at him. It hardly made her feel better about flaunting herself like that, but she had to get through this.

‘It’s enough that I’ve seen you’ she reached up and trailed her finger lightly down his chest. ‘I was most impressed. I’d like to hear about your other… interrogations, if I could. Maybe I could learn something from you. Would you perhaps walk with me?’

Emmeric glanced at her fingers, resting over his heart. When he looked back at her there was a sly smile playing upon his lips.

‘With pleasure. There might actually be some things I would like to get from you as well’ his eyes slid from the slightly parted collar of her coat to the swell of her breast.

The only thing he could really get from her was a knee to the groin. But instead, she smiled brightly and wrapped her arm around his bent elbow, leaning into him. Steering him back down the path she came from.

‘I am sure we can arrange for something we will both enjoy’ she murmured into his ear.

He chuckled and patted the hand she placed on his forearm.

‘Well, I like women who know what they want…’

‘You have no idea…’

The rain was picking up. Gravel crunched beneath their feet and Myra pushed aside the thought that this was going to be a very long walk.

‘So, you’ve been present during the interrogation of that monster?’

‘For the most important part of it anyway. I was impressed by the effortless way you made her squirm.’

Emmeric chuckled. Myra was fairly sure, that if he puffed his chest out just a little more, the buttons of his doublet were going to pop.

‘Well she might be a monster, but she still clings to her humanity, trying to deceive us. But all she did was making it easier to realize her weaknesses and exploit them.’

All she wanted to do was roll her eyes. Instead, she smiled, hoping it looked like admiration and not like baring teeth.

‘You have a lot of experience with that, I suppose?’

‘I had plenty of time to learn. You wouldn’t know how hard those elven rebels are to crack until you have to go all physical on them. And still many of them would not budge.’

‘It’s funny isn’t it?’ Myra asked, flexing her fingers lightly against his arm, resisting the urge to wrap them around his throat. ‘How they are fighting the battle they have already lost?’

‘That they are’ Emmeric smiled. ‘They are no match for us; we will get every single one of them… in due time’ he glanced down at her. ‘There is no point in cutting the fun short, you know? But if anything, one does have to admire their stubbornness – I was once pulling this woman’s flesh apart with a hot pliers and she did not say a word. She didn’t even scream until the very end.’

Myra was tempted to make him scream at this very moment. Which likely had to show on her face, because Emmeric’s expression turned from amused to confused.

‘Did I offend you? I didn’t think witchers would shy away at the mention of a little bit of gore…’

‘We most definitely do not’ she objected. ‘This rain is merely annoying… I certainly want to hear more of those tales…

Emmeric leaned over her. Their noses almost touched.

‘Or we can engage in something more pleasant. Something to keep both of us warm. And then I can indulge your curiosity over a bottle of wine? What do you say, hm?’

Myra could already see the clearing, but they were still standing on the path. Anyone could see them.

‘Why, your appreciation flatters me’ she smiled, linking their hands together. ‘However, you would be wrong to assume that turning into a witcher means I will no longer act at least a bit like a lady…’

‘You’ve led me into the forest, haven’t you?’

‘And with an intent no less’ Myra nodded and her smile widened. ‘But that does not mean I feel adventurous enough to have fun out in the open like that. There is a clearing nearby where no one would disturb us.’

He seemed placated with her words and followed her eagerly, their arms still linked.

‘Heeey! Myra!’ she didn’t have to look to recognize Lisa, who tumbled from some bushe and plopped into the tall grass, waving at them.

‘And who might that be?’ Emmeric asked.

Myra couldn’t say she accounted for that kind of interruption.

‘A friend of mine’ she said quickly. ‘She was too shy to come with me. You know the highborn ladies… all prim and proper…’

‘…until you get them somewhere private. Your friend here doesn’t seem very shy though’ he nodded towards Lisa who waved at them again and giggled.

Myra noticed the flask she held in her outstretched arm.

‘That’s because she overdosed on liquid bravery… Lisa! What will I ever do with you girl?!’ she strode towards her. ‘And to go into the stash of the White Gull of all things? You know what it’s doing to you…’

‘But we were supposed to have fun!’ the girl whined, struggling to get up. Myra reached and grabbed her forearm, steadying her.

‘Well I don’t see why we shouldn’t…’ Emmeric started.

A sharp wheeze cut through the air and Myra instinctively bent, trying to make herself a smaller target.

The arrow, however, was not meant for them. It buried itself deep into lieutenant shoulder.

‘What the…’ Emmeric turned, following the arrow’s path with his eyes.

One by one, elves and witchers emerged from behind the trees, surrounding the soldier. Myra slowly backed away, pulling Lisa with her. They were only supposed to get him here. Their part was done.

They should have shot him – a clean, fast death. She understood why he did not deserve that. Why the elves would have wanted to make it personal. But it could only bring her more trouble.

Because Emmeric fought back. And he fought like only the dying men could. He lashed out even when he was no longer able to stand upright. It took entirely too long, but finally, the Blu Stripes lieutenant fell face-first onto the grass and did not raise again.

Once again, the only sound was that of the falling rain.

And then, there was weeping. One of the ellith was shaking her fallen companion’s body, her shoulders wracked with sobs.

Emmeric has claimed some last victims. A few paces away, on the ground laid Rolf. Myra moved, falling to her knees beside the wounded adept.

Blood was already staining the grass.

‘My back’ Rolf grunted. ‘He hit my back…’

‘We need to go’ master Yila’s voice sounded somewhere above her. Myra wanted to tell her off, but she knew the other woman was right. There was a dead Blue Stripe right next to them – there was no explaining that.

She reached and plucked one Swallow from her potion holster, before bringing the vial to Rolf’s mouth.

‘You’ll be fine. Just bear with the pain’ she said, grabbing his arm. ‘It will pass soon, but we have to go!’

She pulled him through the bushes, but it soon became obvious that Rolf could not quite find his feet. Myra looked over her shoulder at the others running behind her.

‘Volker!’ she called. ‘Come, help me!’

The other adept did not hesitate, running up to her and putting Rolf’s other arm about his shoulders. It was much easier to run now.

They only stopped when master Yila called for them. The clearing and the elves were no longer visible, hidden behind the trees. Myra looked to her adepts, trying to make sure they were fine. No one else was wounded at least, but she could see all colors of shock reflecting in their faces.

She certainly wasn’t the only one in need of some solid booze after all of this was done.

Master Yila seemed to draw the same conclusions, exchanging short glance with her, before focusing on Rolf.

‘Will you live?’

‘Yes’ he replied, pulling himself from Myra’s grasp. ‘The pain is fading. I’ll survive.’

‘Good. But he can’t come into the castle like this. Everyone will notice that something is off, and I don’t think you want to answer to the questions they will have.’

‘Here’ Lisa said, unwrapping the shawl from her neck and pulling it off. ‘You can wear this. It’s long enough to cover the stains and if you tuck it into your belt, it won’t even look out of place.’

‘Thank you’ Rolf replied, taking the hood from her.

‘Do you remember what you are to say if anyone asks what you were doing?’

‘We were meditating after a difficult signs lessons’ Ute replied. ‘You took us to the forest, master so we can get it together.’

‘And if anyone asks if you saw Emmric?’

‘No one should be asking after him’ Myra said. ‘At least not for a while. No one saw us when we were walking into the forest, because everybody went to the castle to hide from the rain.’

‘But they will soon be looking for us then. Make sure you don’t have blood stains visible anywhere’ master Yila instructed. ‘Just remember what you were doing, and everything should be fine.’

Should be. Myra sighed, turning back towards the castle. Unfortunately, it rarely was.

But it was nice to think that this time, luck might just be on their side.


End file.
